Monday, October 29, 2007

BOSTONI CREAM PIE - DARING BAKERS

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am ever so proud to annouce that I have officially joined the Daring Bakers' ranks and that I have succesfully completed my first challenge as a member of this group!!!

TheDaring Bakerswas created in November 2006 when Lis of "La Mia Cucina"(USA) and Ivonne of "Cream Puffs in Venice" (Canada) decided to challenge themselves by baking "Pretzels" for the very first time using exactly the same recipe and without being allowed to operate any modifications. They each went ahead and posted about it.

As they both very much enjoyed that experience, they decided to have a new try with "Biscotti". This time around, they were joined by a few other foodbloggers who were ready to follow the rules and share their baking adventures with the whole world...

Some months later, the group had already grown considerably and Lis and Ivonne thought that they had to give it a name. That's how the Daring Bakers were born!

It is constantly and impressively growing day by day... So if you want to join this wonderful group of homebakers/amateur bakers who share a similar passion for baking and who want to learn more and become more skilfullor if you simply want to browse through the blogroll of Daring Bakers, then visit their site (see link). Their recipes are grandiose, audacious, original and totally scrumptious!!!Our October challenge was to make "Bostoni Cream Pie", a very close cousin of the "Boston Cream Pie" or more exactly, as the name implies, a crazy twist on that classic recipe.

In my opinion, this recipe was quite easy and very clearly explained. I went through the challenge smoothly, without facing any major problem and had a lot of fun baking that "Bostoni Cream Pie".

It is to be said that this dessert is an absolute hammer! It is so rich that I recommend you to eat it after a very light meal, otherwise you'd die or might feel desperatly sick after having ingested this copious and gargantuesque sweet course! It is no wonder that it is such a killer when you know that it's consists of a luscious and silky cream-ladden "Custard", a voluptuous, spongy and slightly rubbery "Chiffon Cake" and a luxuriant "Chocolate Glaze". This "Bostoni Cream Pie" is a gooey treat that cannot ever be forgotten if you had the chance to savor it! It is so remarkable taste-wise. A real orange, vanilla, chocolate flavored symphony that will send you to the heavens above! Texture-wise it is surprising with it's gooey "Chocolate Glaze", fluffy and elastic "Chiffon Cake" and velvety "Custard" that all go ever so well together. Another surprising aspect is the dazzling temperature contrast between the warm "Chocolate Glaze" and the cold "Custard"...Electrifying, stunning and amazing!!!~ Bostoni Cream Pie ~Recipe from Donna Scala & Kurtis Baguley of "Bistro Don Giovanni" In Napa Valley and "Scala's Bistro" in San Francisco.

Method for the custard:1. Combine the milk and cornstarch in a bowl; blend until smooth.2. Whisk in the whole egg and yolks, beating until smooth.3. Combine the cream, vanilla bean and sugar in a saucepan and carefully bring to a boil.4. When the mixture just boils, whisk a ladleful into the egg mixture to temper it, then whisk this back into the cream mixture.5. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.6. Strain the custard and pour into 8 large custard cups.7. Refrigerate to chill.

Method for the chiffon cakes:8. Preheat the oven to 160° C (325°F).9. Spray 8 molds with nonstick cooking spray.10. Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.11. Add the oil, egg yolks, orange juice, zest and vanilla.12. Stir until smooth, but do not overbeat.13. Beat the egg whites until frothy.14. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.15. Gently fold the beaten whites into the orange batter.16. Fill the sprayed molds/cups nearly to the top with the batter.17. Bake approximately 25 minutes, until the cakes bounce back when lightly pressed with your fingertip.18. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.19. When completely cool, remove the cakes from the molds.20. Cover the cakes to keep them moist.Method for the glaze:21. Chop the chocolate into small pieces.22. Place the butter in a saucepan and heat until it is just about to bubble. Remove from the heat; add the chocolate and stir to melt.23. Pour through a strainer and keep warm.Method to assemble the pie:24. Cut a thin slice from the top of each cake to create a flat surface.25. Place a cake flat-side down on top of each custard.26. Cover the tops with warm chocolate glaze.27. Serve immediately.Remarks:I recommend yxou to start baking the "Chiffon Cakes" first and then to make the "Custard".For the vanilla custard, I used 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract instead of the 1/2 vanilla bean that the recipe called for. You can also use vanilla paste if you wish.All my eggs weighed 53g.I used plain white flour for the chiffon cakes as no such thing as cake flour exists here.The canola oil can be replaced by any neutral tasting oil like peanut oil or sunflower oil.I didn't use fresh orange zest. Instead I used (1 packet) Oetker's orange zest.For the "Chiffon Cakes", you may use 7-ounce (210g/ml) custard cups, ovenproof wide mugs, large foil cups, small cups or even a cupcake pan (only for the cakes)... Whatever you use should be the same size as the custard cups.Do not overbake the chiffon cakes.Serving suggestions:I doubt that you'd want to add anything else in order to make this dessert even more indecent, otherwise you'd end up being sick!!!

Yay, Rosa...your very first challenge completed...way to go! Your Bostinis turned out absolutely beautifully...don't you just love that glaze?! I love the shape of your little chiffon cakes as well...excellent job! Aren't the Daring Bakers just such fun? :-)

I like your idea of turning out the custard onto a plate. Bien fait! I was first thinking that was how to do it, but I saw other putting it into a bowl. Thanks for the compliment on my kitchen. My wonderful faucet is from Switzerland.

Rosa, WoW! A post in multi-languages. . .now that is effort and love. Your Bostini Cream Pie is absolutely beautiful and decadent looking. The richness of this dessert definitely comes through in your pictures! Congradulations on your first DB Challenge! It was mine also and I had a blast. . .=D